A game-changing satellite internet system has kept a remote South Australian mine up and running after a bushfire knocked out its main communications link. Vocus, a telco known for its work in hard-to-reach spots, pulled off this feat by teaming up with Elon Musk’s Starlink service.
The drama unfolded at Heathgate Resources’ mine in the Gammon Ranges, where a recent blaze damaged the microwave tower they relied on for comms. Luckily, Vocus had set up a backup just a month earlier – and it turned out to be a lifesaver.
This new setup uses eight Starlink terminals working together, giving the mine speeds that’d make city-dwellers jealous:
- Up to 1.3 gigabytes per second download
- 200 megabytes per second upload
To put that in perspective, it’s like going from a garden hose to a fire hose. Hugh Banister, the top tech bloke at Heathgate Resources, couldn’t be happier.
“Thanks to Vocus and Starlink, we didn’t miss a beat,” he said. “No downtime, no drama – just business as usual.”
It’s a far cry from their old backup, which crawled along at just two megabytes per second. Back then, if the main link went down, they’d be limited to bare-bones comms for safety and essential operations.
But Vocus isn’t just slapping a few Starlink dishes together and calling it a day. They’ve come up with a clever way to bond different types of connections – think mobile networks and various satellite services.
It even works on moving vehicles, which could be a big deal for mobile mining operations. Ashley Grove, who heads up satellite development at Vocus, reckons their approach is special.
“A lot of systems out there are like a multi-lane highway where each app only gets one lane,” he explained. “Our setup lets everything use all the lanes at once. It’s a real game-changer for Aussie telecoms.”
This breakthrough could be massive for the mining industry, especially in the Outback where reliable comms can mean the difference between a good day and a disaster. It’s not just about keeping the emails flowing – it’s about safety, efficiency, and staying competitive in a tough global market.
As mines get smarter and more high-tech, they need internet that can keep up. Vocus’ Starlink solution shows how satellite tech might be the answer, especially in places where laying fibre is about as practical as growing bananas in Tassie.
The success at Heathgate Resources’ mine is just the beginning. If this tech proves reliable in the long run, we might see a lot more dishes popping up at mine sites across the country.
It’s a reminder that even in the most remote corners of Australia, innovation finds a way. For the mining industry, it’s a glimpse of a future where distance doesn’t have to mean isolation.
And for everyday Aussies, it’s a sign that better internet might be on the horizon, no matter how far from the big smoke you might be.
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